Get in Gear

I've officially run out of my current color OBSESSION

(Tick Tock from Amy Howard at Home)

so I cracked open another recently released color that is also 

GORGEOUS!

GET IN GEAR...

We primed this solid wood cabinet in white before applying Get in Gear

then distressed with a medium grit sanding sponge

to reveal both the white and the dark stained wood

(I've found if you distress One Step Paint right after it's dry, it distressed fairly easily)

The color is rich, vibrant, and saturated...

I love how the Mercury Glass hardware  glistens against the blue-green shade

I opted to keep the interior very simple

in fresh, clean white

(the doors had decorative wood inserts, but I loved the more modern look

of the plain glass doors)

This is a wonderful statement piece, don't you think?

I imagine this piece in a neutral dining room

(perhaps mostly white?)

with some natural wood elements

Haven't tried Get in Gear yet?

Go for it! 

M~

a Buffet and a Box

I've been chasing down a buffet to paint for a few months now...

as usual, one turned up right down the street

(the best stuff always turns up close to home!)

Great bones, GORGEOUS wood on the drawers ad doors...

The top?  Not so much.

I used AHaH One Step Paint in Luxe Grey

with clear wax and Dust of Ages

Not a bit of distressing, yet it still looks wonderfully aged

Dust of Ages adds SO MUCH character and patina

I restored the drawers and doors

(I decoupaged inside the top drawer with antique sheet music 

but forgot to get a pic!)

The original hardware wears a distressed gold leaf finish

No, it was NOT fun painting that trim on the doors...

If I never have to do that again, it will be just fine with me!

I had the supplies out to decoupage,

so I decided to do a little experiment on a plain wood box

This was a fun project, and SO EASY!

I mixed 50% Elmers glue with 50% water

and applied to the box

then smoothed on the sheet music I had already cut to size

I then brushed the glue mixture over the top to seal and let it all dry

(about 30 minutes)

Next, the fun part...

I sanded the heck out of with a medium grit sanding block,

followed by clear wax mixed with Dust of Ages to create a weathered wax

the finish looks old and worn but feels like silk...

I forsee this treatment on something larger in the future!

These items can be found at 607 VINTAGE MARKETPLACE 

Thanks for stopping by!

Michele~

Whitewashed Grey Dresser

I was down with Strep Throat for almost TWO WEEKS...

I'm not sure what was worse...the Strep or not painting!

(OK, Strep was the hands down worst of the two...)

I was incredibly eager to get back to work

This dresser had been awaiting paint for several weeks

and I'm quite pleased with the outcome

The wood was pretty enough, but sort of orange and quite dated

I debated on going very fancy with colored panels and gold leaf details

but I've been craving softness and gentle distressing lately

For this soft, romantic finish I mixed 

AHaH's Luxe Grey One Step Paint (OSP)

 with Black OSP

(3/1 ratio)

Then I glazed the paint using White Glaze from General Finishes

The white slightly lightened the grey, 

settling into the recesses and brush strokes

You could use a glaze, like I did, or a white wax,
 or even a watered down white wash
all would give you a similar look
I like to use what I have on hand, and I had glaze

I lightly distressed the edges while the glaze was still a bit damp

then sealed the entire piece with clear wax once dry

The hardware was painted Ballet White OSP

then waxed and finished with Dust of Ages for a lovely patina

Wouldn't this piece make a wonderful bathroom vanity?  

Available at 607 Vintage MarketPlace

Thanks for stopping by!

Michele

Pallet Wall

We've been hard at work on our new retail space at 

607 Vintage Marketplace

I have to admit, this is BY FAR my favorite space EVER...

I love it even more than our retail store

I can't wait to share lots and lots of photos with you! 

Our first project was a pallet wall

We planned on doing a pallet wall in our space in Tarpon Springs,

but then Kenny was in a motorcycle accident

and we went the quick and easy route instead

(paint!)

I didn't want the warm honey tones that pallets sometimes have

I wanted soft whites, greys, etc...

I used a variety of products to achieve the look I was after

Liming Wax from Amy Howard at Home

worked wonderful on the pallets that had a more pronounced grain

For the other pieces, I diluted the following:

Bauhaus Buff One Step Paint

Custom mixed greys using One Step

Remis Grey Toscana Paint

Pompeii Grey Toscana Paint

Here's a sneak peek...

we're saving the finished product for our "big" reveal

once our space is staged...

Don't forget...if you're local,

 the GRAND OPENING

is Friday, August 15th! 

Knock Knock

Knock Knock...

Who's there?  

TICK TOCK!

Tick Tock One Step Paint, that is!

Our front door was desperately in need of some assistance...

a perky pick-me-up

(and a good pressure washing!)

Before was such a snooze-fest...

zero personality...

this is the color it's been since we moved in...and I've hated it every day since

but you know how it goes...you get so used to looking at it,

you don't even notice it anymore

Now it looks refreshed and playful

I realize vibrant aqua isn't for everyone...

we live on the coast of FL...

land of sun and surf, palm trees and hibiscus

An aqua door isn't the least bit out of place!

Here are the steps:

1. clean the door- I pressure washed about a month ago, then cleaned the door with soap and water before painting. Pressure washing isn't necessary.

2. Paint with chosen color of One Step Paint from Amy Howard at Home

We selected Tick Tock after much debate...the lighter color over the somewhat darker oil-based paint took three coats

3. Seal- I used Clear Wax, applied sparingly, and buffed once dry.  You could also seal with poly, but we've found the AHaH wax is durable enough to use on our front door.  

4. Decorate your new front door

 (then lament as you realize now your house REALLY needs painted!)

Isn't it funny how one project leads to five, ten, TWENTY more?

I'm already looking at paint colors for the house and garage...

and the weather stripping around the door needs replaced...

and the landscaping could use some refreshing...

and the fence is looking pretty shabby....

Thanks for dropping by!

Michele

Mixing it up

With 42 One Step colors at my disposal,

you'd think I would be content...

but of course, I'm not!

I see it as 42 colors with INFINITE possibilities!

Using the newest One Step colors 

(American Dream, Tick Tock, Get in Gear, and Table for One)

you can create some equally stunning new shades!

By mixing 75% Get in Gear with 25% American Dream

you can create a gorgeous, rich teal

(right and layered on center)

Equal parts Get in Gear and Tick Tock creates the gorgeous aqua green 

(left and base coat on center)

Blues not for you?

A lovely melon can be created using 

equal parts Table for One and Massey Hill

Add a generous tablespoon of Charm School to the above mixture to create a vibrant coral...

The options are limited only by your imagination:

American Dream + Table for One = Periwinkle

Tick Tock + Credenza = Soft Mint Green

Charm School + American Dream = Vibrant Purple

Orchid + Table for One + Charm School = Raspberry Pink

Don't be intimidated by color! 

Start small...pretend you are finger painting...mix little bits of this and that on a sample board

until you like the direction it's headed...

DON'T FORGET TO WRITE DOWN YOUR FORMULAS

 FOR FUTURE REFERENCE!

I'd love to know what colors you've created! 

Michele

Put Down the Sandpaper

this is a plea....

a plea to put DOWN the orbital sander, the palm sander, 

and GASP, the belt sander!

I'm guilty of it...we all are

even if you haven't done it, you've seen it:

swirl marks, "bite marks",

 areas where the sander has burned right through the paint and the original surface,

 revealing the raw wood

The more I learn about authentic painted finishes...

the more I studied actual wear on antique pieces...

the less I reach for a mechanical sander

Distressed finishes are GORGEOUS!

 even after 100+ years, you still don't see much wear down to the wood...

 More wood showing, but it is a soft, natural effect...

thousands of fingertips brushing the edges, gently polishing the surface below the paint...

it's not rough

Water-marks, a little dirty around the edges...gently worn paint

 Notice these authentic finishes have an antique tint, 

but the color isn't covered in a layer of dark wax...

save the dark wax for the areas that would naturally get a bit dirtier...

the edges, the feet, etc

 Stunning finish...layers of paint, no discernible pattern to the wear

this could have been created yesterday or 150 years ago...

 worn, layered...subtle wear to the wood below

 I'm personally drawn to these chippy, layered, textural finishes

These finishes are not your standard 

"chalk paint, distress, clear wax, dark wax" 

that we're all accustomed to

There is a whole world of options for aging your pieces...

and none of them involve a belt sander :0) 

Tutorials coming later this week...

M~

Sometimes, Less is More

So...this bed

So many options!

I struggled for weeks over what color/finish it "needed"

I finally settled on Luxe Grey from Amy Howard at Home

highlighted with white and some gold leaf

In theory, it worked

In reality, it was a lot of "look"

 if you know what I mean

The bed just didn't need it!

I switched gears, keeping the Luxe Grey

but highlighting with only Dust of Ages

So. Many. Details.

This bed took me WEEKS

(primarily because I could NOT work on it continuously...had to break it up!)

In retrospect, it's totally worth it

(well, it WILL be worth it when it sells!)

I had BIG plans to stage this bed...

a queen sized air mattress, pretty ruffled bedding, lots of pillows

HOWEVER,

I had a BIT of trouble setting it up alone!

So for now, it's staged just like you see it in the above photo...propped against the wall!

This gorgeous tallboy seemed like an ideal companion for the bed

It's just a "little" fancy...so it doesn't compete 

with the Baroque fabulousness of the bed

I wanted the hardware to look like antique, tarnished silver...

I'm really quite pleased with how it all came together...

proof that sometimes, 

less really is more 

Thanks for stopping by!

Michele

Weathered Grey French Desk

I saw this gorgeous vanity/desk on Facebook

a picker we buy from was selling it, and I was literally a minute too late...

Someone else beat me to it!

I was thrilled when that person offered it to me, 

because it was just too much of a project! 

Yep, it was a HOT mess!

Just look at her now...

We used One Step Paint from Amy Howard at Home in Selznick Grey

followed by an application of white dust over the damp wax

The top is "pulled and cracked" to reveal bits of the creamy white beneath

(Bauhaus Buff)

The white dust gives a really beautiful weathered look to the grey paint

We wanted to age the Buff trim, too

so we applied Dust of Ages (a greyish dust)

 mixed with a more brown colored dust

 We wanted the original hardware to look weathered, as well

so we applied white dust followed by Dust of Ages

The shape of this desk is amazing...

we've only had one other Kidney shaped desk before! 

Love this?  

You can find it in our Etsy shop